Moving Blog
October 01, 2017

5 Tips for Moving When You're a Retiree

senior- retiree-couple packing-moving- in

Most of us look forward to our golden years. After a lifetime of hard work, we finally get to kick back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of our labors. However, many people find that when they reach senior citizen status that they also need to move. Maybe it's because they no longer need the space in their home with their children grown-up and moved away, maybe it's because they're now living on a limited income, or maybe it's because they want to finally move to that warmer climate they've always dreamed about. Whatever your reason for moving once you reach retiree status, it's important to give the task some careful consideration.

It can only make your life easier.

Tip #1: Consider Moving in the Fall or Winter

One of the great benefits of being a retiree is that you are no longer bound by the same schedules as people who have to work. You want to go to the supermarket in the middle of a Tuesday? Go ahead, you are the master of your schedule. Want to hit a movie matinee when everyone else is at work? Enjoy the show! And if you want to move, then you have the opportunity to do so in the off-season, when demand and costs are both at their lowest.

Summer is the busiest time for moving for a lot of reasons (good weather, the kids are out of school, etc.), and as a result it's also the most expensive time to move. A few months one way or the other can save you a lot of money.

Tip #2: If You Don't Need It, Don't Move It

The longer you live in a house, the more clutter you pick up. Everything, from clothes you haven't worn in a decade, to papers from a job you barely remember, fills in the cracks in your home. So, before you move, have a culling. A good rule of thumb is to ask whether you've used something in the last five years. If you haven't, you probably don't need it. So sell it, donate it, give it away to friends or family, but if you don't need it, don't take it.

Tip #3: Make a Plan

Moving isn't something you should do on the fly, especially not when you're moving as a retiree. You need to sit down, do your research, and make sure you have everything in order. You need to know where you're moving to, how you're going to get there, how you're getting your stuff there, when you're going to go, and most importantly, you need to have the costs figured out down to the nickel. And, just to be on the safe side, you should have several alternative strategies in place, just in case something falls through, or doesn't work the way you want or need it to.

Tip #4: Prepare

Planning is when you get your goals down on paper; preparation is when you start warming up. When you're preparing for a move you're paring down your possessions, setting aside funds for the moving costs, deciding when to put your house up for sale, etc. Preparation is the second part of the three-act play that is a move.

Tip #5: Take Your Time

Moving isn't something that should be done in a rush. Decisions need to be weighed carefully, and you should have all the information on-hand before making major decisions. Not only that, but you should give yourself time to prepare, and to take care of any loose ends that need to be tied up before you pull stakes, and head off toward your destination. There's no need to rush, so go at a pace you're comfortable with.

Looking for someone to help you with your move? A-1 Freeman Moving Group can expertly guide you every step of the way in order to make moving in your golden years a breeze. Click below to get started.

 
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